Periodically-operated mechanism



Jan. 8 1924'. v a 1,479,837

' 4 H. s. SINES PERI ODI CALLY OPERATED MECHANI SM Original Filed Jan. 19, 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imfe E15? 9 Harold 15: 817 26 Jan. 8 1924. 1,479,837

H. S. SINES PERIODICALLY OPERATED MECHANI SM Original Filed Jan. 19, 1915 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Infenm flaw 6. 55x 8.

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Jan. 8, 1924. 1,479,837

- H. S. SINES PERIODICALLY OPERATED MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 19, 1915 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Infant? Hal 829163 3M, M

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Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD'S. SINES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO lvIlNER-ALLAC ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PERIODICALLY-OPERATED MECHANISM.

Original application filed January 19, 1915, Serial No. 3,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARoLo S. SINES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Periodically-O11)- erated Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to periodically operated mechanism and the preferred embodiment thereof is herein illustrated in connec tion with means for opening and closing an electric power circuit at the beginning and end of predetermined periods of time. Such mechanisms are usually called time switches. The objects of my invention are:

First: To provide a mechanism of the character described which comprises an element that is to be moved. at the beginning and end of predetermined periods of time in order to produce some useful result, the mechanism including a motor, preferably an electric motor, a time keeping mechanism including a spring means, and a spring means for operating said movable element, the motor being connected with said spring means to rewind or reenergize the spring means whenever these spring means become deenergized to a predetermined degree;

Second: To provide a mechanism comprising a movable element and a time keeping mechanism with means for actuating said movable element, the said actuating means being controlled by the time keeping means and energized by the motor;

Third: To provide a mechanism which includes an element to be actuated at the beginning and end of predetermined periods of time with means for thus actuating said movable element, comprising a spring means connected with said movable element, amotor for energizing said spring means, and a time keeping mechanism for determining when the means for actuating said movable element are to operate, and for controlling the energization of said actuating means by said motor;

Fourth: To provide a time switch com prising a powerswitch, a time keeping mechanism including spring means, means Divided and this application filed February Serial No. 278,787.

for actuating said power switch, controlled by said time keeping mechanism, and a motor for actuating the spring means of said time keeping mechanism and energizing the means for actuating the power switch;

Fifth: To provide a time switch comprising a time keeping mechanism, a power switch, a common motor for energizing said time keeping mechanism and said power switch, and means controlled by said time keeping mechanism for determining when said power switch is to operate and when said time mechanism and actuating means for said power switch are to be reenergized by said motor;

Sixth: To provide a movable element, a spring means for operating said movable element, a motor for energizin said spring means, and means for disconnecting said spring means from said motor when said spring means are energized to a predetermined degree.

Other objects will appear as the description progresses.

The specific embodiment of my invention hereinafter described comprises, in combination, a spring-driven timekeeping mechanism and a spring-operated switch, the two mechanisms being so related that the operation of the switch by its associated spring is controlled by the time-keeping mechanism. A single motor, preferably electrically operated, is provided to rewind the driving springs for the time-keeping and the switching mechanisms. Mechanism controlled by the time-keeping mechanism is provided whereby the motor is periodically placed in condition to wind the driving springs for the time-keeping and switching mechanisms, the operation of the motor being stopped when the driving spring for the time-keeping mechanism hasbeen wound a predetermined amount. The time-keeping and switching mechanisms comprise means for preventing excessive winding of the springs of either of them, and mechanism is provided whereby if. when the motor is placed in condition to wind the driving springs, the supply of the electric energy to the motor should be temporarily shut off, the clock spring will be wound to its maximum tension when the electric energy is next supplied to the motor.

This and other features of my invention are fully set forth in the following description and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the mechanism of my invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof taken on the line 2.2 of Flgure 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure at is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view of the escapement mechanism associated with the snap switch; this view being taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 and illustrates another position of the escapement mechanism;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating the devices which determine the position of the escapement mechanism illustrated in Figures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 4, Figure 8 illustrating the portion of the mechanism which serves to prevent. excessive winding of the spring which operates the snap switch;

Fi ure 9 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 99 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, Figure 9 illustrating in detail the switching mechanism controlling the circuit for the motor which is designed to periodically rewind the driving springs for the time-keeping and switching mechanisms;

Figure 10 is an isolated detail view of the devices which insure positive action of the switching mechanism illustrated in Figure 9, this View being taken along the line 1010 of Figure 9;

V Figure 11 is a top plan view of the snap switch which forms a part of the time switch mechanism; and

Figure 12 diagrammatically illustrates circuit arrangements which may be employed if desired.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts thruout the several views.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 3021, filed January 19, 1915, which has matured into Patent Number 1,309,426 of July 8, 1919.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, it is seen that the apparatus of my invention comprises a supporting plate or base 20, and carried by the plate and disposed at right angles thereto are the plates 21, 22 and 23, which are secured together and spaced apart by suitable screws and posts as illustrated, the plates 21, 22 and 23 serving to support the major portion of the time-keeping and switching mechanisms. The plate or base 20 also supports plates or shelves 24 and 25, between which is located an electric motor 26, which, as will presently be explained, operates to rewind the springs for the time-keeping and switching mechanisms.

Bearing in the plates 22 and 23, as is perhaps most clearly illustrated in Figure 4:, is a shaft 27 having fixed thereon a comparatively large worm wheel 28. The shaft 27 is provided with an enlarged portion 29 which. bears in the plate 22 and serves as a bearing for the lower end of a shaft 30, which has its upper end journaled in the plate 21, as illustrated. The shaft 30 passes freely thru a drum 31, which is fixed to the enlarged portion 29 of the shaft 27 by pins or other equivalent means. Disposed within the drum 31 is a spring 32 having its outer end fixed to the inner periphery of the drum and having its inner end fixed to the shaft 30. Mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 30 is the spur gear 33 provided. with a lug 34: on its upper surface, the purpose of which will presently be made apparent.

As is most clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the spur gear 33 meshes with a pinion fixed. upon a shaft 35, and from the shaft 35 motion is transmitted thru a train comprising gears 36, 37, 38, 39, pinion 40, gear 50, and pinion 51. to a shaft 52, which shaft is in turn operatively connected with a ma rine escapement mechanism 53 illustrated in Figure 1. The details of the escapement are not important in so far as the present invention is concerned, and inasmuch as any desired form of escapement may be employed, the escapement mechanism in question has not been illustrated in all its details. It will sufiice to say that, assuming the worm gear 28 to be stationary and the spring 32 to be under tension, the gear will be rotated at a constant rate due to the clock train and escapement mechanism before mentioned.

Fixed upon the shaft 35, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, is a bevel gear 54, which in turn meshes with a corresponding bevel gear 55 fixed upon an arbor, which at its outer end carries a minute-hand 56, which, when the arbor is rotated, is adapted to travel over a suitable clock dial 57 in the usual manner. Disposed upon the arbor just referred to is a sleeve 58 which carries the usual hour-hand 59. Motion is transmitted from the arbor to the sleeve 58 thru a suitable reducing train illustrated in Figure 2, and comprising a pinion 60 fixed relatively to the arbor, a gear 61, a pinion 62 fixed with respect to the gear 61, and gear 63 fixed with respect to the sleeve 58;

So far I have described the operating parts of the lime-keeping mechanism, but have not described the means whereby the clock spring 32 may be rewound at suitable intervals. Referring'to Figure 1, it will be seen that the shaft of the motor 26 is provided with a suitable wormfitmeshing with a worm gear 65, which has fixed. with respect thereto a bevel gear meshing with a bevel gear 66 fixed upon the lower end of a shaft 67 vertically disposed in suitable bearings and provided at. its upper end with a bevel gear 68. Mounted in suitable bearings carried by the plates 22 and 23 and lo- :ated between saidplates is a shaft 69 provided with a bevel gear meshing with the bevel gear 68 carried by the shaft 67. The shaft 69 is provided with a worm 70 which, asis most clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and meshes with the'worm wheel 28. The worm 70 also meshes with a worm wheel 71. which is operatively connected with the driving spring for the snap switch mechanism, which mechanism will presently be more fully described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the motor is operated to drivethe shaft 67 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, the worm wheel 28*and the ClITlII. 31 will be operatedto wind the spring The circuit for the motor is controlled by suitable switching meclr anism illustrated most clearly in Figures 2 and 9. Mounted in the plates 21 and 22 is-a shaft 7 2 having fixed-thereon a fourtoothed cam 73 which forms a part of the switching mechanism controlling the circuit for the motor 26. Carried by the plate 22 is apair of' switch springs 74: and-75, which switch springs are provided with co-operating contact points as illustrated. Disposed adiacent the switch spring 75 is a thirdspring 76, which is provided with an offset free end 77 co-operating with the cam 73. and carried by the switch spring 75 andiuterposed between the springs 75 and 76 1s a block of insulation 78, which separates the said springs 75 and 76. It will be seen that when the offset portion 77 of the spring 76 is in the space between a pair of the teeth of the cum 7 3, as illustrated in Figure 2, the switch springs 74 and 75 will be in open position. but that when the cam "7 is operated to cause the portion of. the sprin 'i'fi to ride upon one of the teeth. of the cam, the switch springs will be moved to closed position.

l ixed upon the shaft 72 and disposed adjacent the spur gear 33 is a disk 79 pro vided with four peripheral teeth 80. The disk 79 is so disposed that normally when the gear is rotated the lug 34 carried thereby will engage one of the teeth 80 of the disk 79 and advance the shaft 72 to bring am 73 in position to close the switch .;'s 74-. and 75. Due to the fact that the spur gear forms a part of the clock train driven by the spring it will, be seen that each time. the gear 33 is turnedthru one revolution, the shaft 72 will be advanced one step, provided the disk 79 is in such an angular position that one of its teeth may be engaged by the lug 34. The length of time required to turn the gear 33 thru one revolution is not material, but the several parts of the clock mechanism should be so related that the gear 33 will be turned thru one revolution before the spring 32 has run down an considerable amount.

Fixed upon the shaft 72 and disposed below the. disk 79 is a second disk 81 provided with peripheral teeth 82. The peripheral teeth 82 of the disk 81 are angular-1y displaced with respect to the teeth 80 of the disk 79, as is most clearly illustratedin Figure 2. It will be seen, therefore, that if the several parts are in the position illustrated in Figure 1, if the disk is advanced one step, the cam 73 will operate to close the switch springs 74 and 75 and thereby close the circuitfor the motor 26. If the disk 81 is then advanced one step, the cam 73 will be operated to permit the switch springs 7 4 i and 75 to move to open position.

As I have heretofore pointed out, the lug 34, carried by the spur gear 33, is arranged to advance the disk 79 one step for each revolution of the spur gear 33, provided the teeth of' the disk 79 are in the proper angular positions. I shall now describe the mechanism for advancing the disk 81'. As is most clearly illustratedin Figures 4 and 9, the shaft 30 has fixed'thereto a worm 83 co-operating with a gear 84 mounted upon a shaft 85 bearing in plates or brackets 8686 supported by the drum 31. Also mounted in the plates or brackets 86 is a shaft 87 having fixed thereon a pinion 88 meshing with the gear 8ft, and fixed upon one end of the shaft 88 is an arm 89, which. when the spring 32 isin fully wound condition, assumes the position illustrated in fulhlines in Figure 4. From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the shaft 30 is operated by. the spring 32 the shaft 88 and arm 89 will be rotated in a clockwise direction (Figure 4). It will he understood that at all times except when the spring 32 is being rewound the drum 31 will. be stationary and therefore the amount of displacement of the arm 89 which occurs due to the co-operation between the worm. 83 and gear 84 will be directly proportional to the energy lost by the spring 32 in driving the shaft 30 and parts connected therewith.

Assuming the several parts previously described to be in the positions illustrated in the drawings, when the spur gear 33 has been turned to bring the lug 34: into on gagement with one of the teeth of the disk 81, the cam wheel associated with. the switch. springs 74c and 75 will be operated to close the switch springs and thus close the circuit for the motor 26. If there is sufficient current in the motor circuit to cause the opcration of the motor, the motor will operate thru the shaft 67, shaft {59 and worm to drive the worm wheel 28 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. lVhen. this takes place the drum 31 is rotated in the same direction, inasmuch as it is fixed with respect to the worm wheel l l hen this takes place the spring 32 is rewound. When the drum 31 is turned as aforesaid, the plates or brackets 86. 86 and. the gears supported thereby are turned around the worm 83 and consequently the arm 89 is turned in a counter clockwise direction. As soon as the drum 31 has been turned an amount suliicient to restore in the spring 32 the energy previously expended, the arm 89 will have assumed its original position indicated in full lines in Figure 4-. After the arm 89 has been moved to its horizontal position and is moved past the disk 81, the arm will engage one of the teeth of the disk and advance the shaft 72 and cam 73 to per mit the switch springs 7 and to open. All of the parts having been returned to normal position, the operation just described is repeated. I find that sometimes the circuit forthe motor 26 is temporarily out of commission when the switch springs are moved to closed position. aewinding of the spring 32, however, continues to drive the clock train and rotate the arm 89 in a clockwise direction. lVhen the motor circuit becomes operative, the motor starts to operate and continues to wind the spring 32 until the arm 89 has been returned to normal position. After the arm 89 has assumed its normal horizontal position, the disk 81 is advanced one step and the cam '73 operates the switch springs 74 and 75 to open the motor circuit as previously described.

Inasmuch as the advancement of the disks T9 and 81 sometimes occurs quite slowly, I find it desirable to provide some means to cause quick opening and closing of the switch springs 74: and 75 in order to avoid sparking at the contact point. Therefore I provide the shaft 72 with a star wheel. most clearly illustrated in Figure 10. The star wheel 90 is provided with eight teeth and co-operating with the star wheel is a roller 91 mounted upon the free end of a lever arm 92 pivoted to the plate 22. Associated with the arm 92 is a spring 93, which normally tends to force the roller 91 into engagement with the star wheel 90. It will be seen that the shaft 72 may be slowly advanced until. the roller 91 has passed over the end of one of the teeth of the star wheel. The spring 93 then forces the roller 91 down between a pair of the teeth of the star wheel and quickly advances the shaft 72 thru the remainder of its one step advancement to effect the opening or closing of the switch springs 74 and 75 as the case may be.

I have now described the novel features of the time-keeping mechanism and. have explained how the driving spring for the timekeeping mechanism is kept in wound condition. I have not, however, explained the details of the time switch mechanism and explained the cooperation between the time switch and the time-keeping mechanism. I shall now explain the details of the time switch and explain how it co-operates with the time-keeping mechanism previously described.

As is most clearly shown in Figure 4, a shaft 94 bears in the plate 23 and has its lower end operatively connected with a fourpin snap switch 94' illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11. Inasmuch as the snap switch may be of any of the many types now on the market, I have not thought it necessary to illustrate the snap switch in all its details The shaft 9 1 has also fixed thereto a gear 95 and a pinion 96, both of which are illustrated in Figure 4. Disposed around the shaft 9 1 is a drum 97, within which is disposed a coiled spring 98, the inner end of which is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 94 and the outer end of which is attached to the inner periphery of the drum. The upper end of the shaft 94 forms a lower bearing for a shaft 99, the upper end of which bears in the plate 22. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 1, it will be seen that the drum 97 is keyed or otherwise fixed with respect to the shaft 99. At its upper end the shaft 99 is provided with a ratchet wheel 100 and a holding pawl 101. Disposed around the shaft 99 is a sleeve 102, to the upper end of which is fixed the worm wheel 71 previously referred to, and which meshes with the worm 70 of the shaft 69. To the lower end of the sleeve 102 is fixed a ratchet wheel 103, which ratchet wheel is normally engaged by a pawl 104 pivoted to the top of the drum 97. A spring 105 tends to hold the pawl 104 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 103.

Pivotally carried by the bottom of the drum 97 is a gear 106 which meshes with the pinion 96 previously referred to. The gear 106 is provided with a downwardly projecting lug 107 arranged, when the gear 106 is rotated, to engage a crank arm 108 fixed upon the lower end of a shaft 109, which passes vertically thru the drum 97 near the periphery thereof, as is most clearly illustrated in Figure 4. Attached to the upper end of the shaft 109 is a cam 110 arranged when operated to move the pawl 104 from engagement with its associated ratchet wheel 103. Attention is directed to the fact that the arm of the pawl 104 engaged by the spring 105 and adapted to be engaged by the cam 110 is bifurcated. The pawl 104 is preferably constructed of resilient metal, and consequently when the cam 110 is operated to move the pawl from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 103, energy stored in the pawl 104, due to the bifurcated construction serves to snap the pawl suddenly out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 103 and thus prevents mutilation of the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

Mounted upon the bracket 111, as most clearly illustrated in Figure '1, is a disk 112 provided with peripheral teeth meshing with a pinion 113. The pinion 113 just referred to is fixed upon a shaft 114, upon which is also fixed a bevel gear 115 meshing with a bevel gear 116 fixed upon the shaft 35" of the clock train previously described, It will be understood, therefore, that the disk 112 isdriven at a constant rate. Formed in the disk 122 near the periphery thereof are a plurality ofap'ertures 117 which may be numbered as indicated, if desired. The apertures 117 are arranged to receive pins 118118, which, as will presently be described, serve to control in part the operation of the snap switch mechanism. The apertures 117 are preferably numbered as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, and the disk 112 is preferably colored on one side as indicated by the shade lines in Figure 1, .to distinguish those apertures corresponding to the hours of the night andthose apertures correspondingto the hours ofthe day.

The plate 23 supports a block 119 which.

serves as a bearing for the shaft 114, which serves to communicate motion from the timekeeping mechanism to the disk 112. The block 119 also supports an escapement mechanism for the snap switch mechanism. The escapement mechanism referred to comprises a cylindrical member 120 having a shaft 121 passing thru the lock 119. Attached tothe end of the shaft 121 opposite the cylindrical member 120 is a hub 122 provided with arms 123 and 124, as most clearly illustrated in Figure 7. A coiled spring 125 normally tends to hold the arm 123 against a stop pin 126 carried by the block 119. The arm 124 is arranged to be engaged by the pins 118 carried by the disk 112. Formed in the end of the cylindrical escapement member 120 are intersecting grooves 127 and 128, the function of which will presently be explained.

As is most clearly illustrated in Figure 3, a disk 129 is arranged to rotate in proximity to the cylindrical escapement member 120, and this disk 129 isprovided with a peripheral lug 130. Fixed with'respect to the disk 129 is a pinion 131 which meshes with-the gear 95. Normally thecylindrical escapernent member-120 is in the position illustrated in Figure 5, and consequently the disk 129 is retained in the position illustrated in Figures- 3 and 5. When the arm 124 is engaged by one of the ins 118 carried by the disk 112, the cy indrical tscapementmember 120 is moved to the position'illustrated in Figure 6, thus .permittiug the lug 130 of the disk 129 to move to the .positionshown. It will be understood that the spring 98 normally tend to rotate the gear 95 and consequently the disk 129. The mechanism is preferably so arranged that whenthe disk 130 moves from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 6, the spring associated with the snap switch mechanism is placed under tension so that after the pin 118, which has engaged and moved the arm 124, has passed the arm to permit the cylindrical cscapement member 120 to returnto the position shown in Figure 5, the energy stored in the spring of the snap switch and the energy imparted by the spring 98 will quickly operate the snap switch. It will be understood that any time the motor 26 winds the driving spring for the time-keeping mechanism, the spring 98 will be wound, if itrequires rewinding, due to the connection between the worm shaft 69 and the worm gear 71. It will be understood, however, that often times the spring 98 has uncoiled but very little when rewinding of the spring for the time-keeping mechanism takes place, and consequently the spring 98 requires little or no rewinding. When the worm. wheel 71 is operated, the sleeve 102 i also rotated and motion is transmitted from the ratchet 103 tothe drum 97thru the pawl 104. \Vhen the drum 97 is rotated to wind thespring 98 as just explained, the gear 106 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 8 due tothefact that it meshes with the pinion 96. The gear ratios are such that after the spring 98 has been wound to its maximum tensiom-the-lug 107 carried by the gear 106 engages the arm 108 and thereby disengages the pawl 104 from the ratchet 103, as has been previously explained. It will be seen, -therefore, that if the spring 98 requires winding, it is wound each time that the winding of the driving spring for the time-keeping mechanism occurs and that the re-windingof the spring 98ceases assoon as it has been wound to a predetermined tension. .Altho mechanism is provided to disconnect the drum 97 from the re-winding motor, the winding of the driving spring for p the time-keeping mechanism goes on'until this last-mentioned spring has been wound to a predetermined tension, whereupon thegmotor (circuit opened as has been previouslyexplained.

It will be understood-that the disk112 may carry as many pins 118 as desired. In the drawings I have illustrated two such pins. It will be understood that any time one of the pins 118 engages the arm 12%, as shown in Figure 7, the snap switch mechanism is caused to operate to open or close the circuit controlled thereby. In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated the pins 118 in position such that the snap switch mechanism is caused to ope-rate to close a circuit attwo oclock in the afternoon and to open thiscircuit at seven oclock in the evening. It more than two pins are used, it will be seen that alternatepins cause operation of the snap switch mechanism to close the circuit controlled thereby and that the other pins cause operation of the snap switch mechanism to open the circuit.

In Figure 12 of the drawings the several cooperating elements have been illustrated diagrammatically. It will be seen that the snap switch controls the circuit for a lamp load and that the re-windingi motor is operatively connected with the feeder which are arranged to be connected with the lamp load. It is not essential, however, that the rewinding motor be supplied with energy in this manner, but, on the other hand, the motor may be equipped with an independent source oi": current, as illustrated in dotted lines.

While I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in connection with a time switch, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to this applica" tion nor to the details of the embodiment of ny invention. described herein, but is capable of other adaptations and modifications with in the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a clock mechanism having a main spring, of a switch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch, means actuated by said clock mechanism for controlling the said opening and closing means to open and close saidswitch at any desired times, an electric motor, driving connections between said motor and said main spring and between said motor and said second spring, a second switch connected in circuit with said motor, and means connected with said main spring for closing said second switch when said main spring has become unwound, and for opening said second switch when said main spring has been wound, the driving connection between said motor and said second switch comprising means for disconnecting said second spring from said motor when said second spring is energized to a given degree and for connecting said second spring with said motor when said second spring has become deenergized below said given degree.

2. The combination with a mechanism having a main spring, of a switch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch, means for controlling the said opening and closing means to open and close said switch at any desired time, an electric motor, driving connections between said motor and said main spring and between said motor and said sec ond spring, a second switch connected in circuit with said motor, and means for closing said second switch when said main spring has become unwound, and for opening said second switch when said main spring has been wound, the driving connection between said motor and said second switch comprising means for disconnecting said second spring from said motor when said second spring is energized to a given degree and for connecting said second spring with said motor when said second spring has become deenergized below said given degree.

3. The combination with a mechanism having a main spring, of a switch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch, means for controlling the said opening and closing means to openand close said switch at any desired time, and means for periodically energizing each oi said springs independently of each other, an electric motor, driv ing connections between said motor and said main spring and between said motor and said second spring, a second switch connected in circuit with said motor, and means for 010s ing said second switch when said main spring has become unwound, and for opening said second switch when said main spring has been wound.

4. The combination with a mechanism comprising a main spring, oi a switch, a second spring, means controlled by said mechanism and actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch at predetermined times, an electric motor, a switch connected in circuit with said motor, driving connections between said motor and said main spring and between said motor and said second spring for energizing said springs, the driving connections between said motor and one of said springs including means for disconnecting said last-named spring from said motor when said lastnamed spring is su'liiciently wound, and for connecting said spring with said motor when said spring is insufficiently wound, and means controlled by the other of said springs for opening and closing said second switch.

5. The combination with a mechanism comprising a main spring, of a switch, a second spring, means controlled by said mechanism and actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch, an electric motor, a switch connected in circuit with said motor, driving connections be tween said motor and said springs, including means for disconnecting one of said springs from said motor when said last-named spring is sufficiently wound, and for connecting said spring with said motor when said spring is insufficiently Wound, and means controlled by the other of said springs for opening and closing said second switch.

6. The combination with a mechanism comprising a main spring, of a switch, a sec ond spring, means controlled by said mechanism and actuated by said second spring for opening and closing said switch, an electric motor, driving connections between said motor and said springs, including means for disconnecting one of said springs from said motor when said last-named spring is sufiiciently wound, and for connecting said spring with said motor when said spring is insufficiently wound.

7. In combination, a clock mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at predetermined intervals, and means for preventing winding of said second spring when such winding is unnecessary.

8. In combination, a mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at intervals, comprising an electric motor, and means tor preventing winding of said second spring when such winding is unnecessary.

9. In combination, a mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at intervals, comprising an electric motor, means for preventing winding of said second spring when such winding is unnecessary, and switching means operated by said second spring.

10. In combination, clock mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at predetermined intervals comprising an electric motor, means for preventing winding 01 said second spring when such winding is unnecessar and escapement mechanism interposed between said clock mechanism and said second spring.

11. In combination, clock mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at prede termined intervals comprising an electric motor, means for preventing winding of said second spring when such windin is unnecessary, an escapement interposed between said clock mechanism and second spring, and means for selectively causing said. escapement to permit operation of said second spring.

12. In combination, clock mechanism provided with a main spring, a second spring, means for winding said springs at predetermined intervals comprising an electric motor, means for preventing winding of said second spring when such winding is unnecessary, an escapement interposed between said clock mechanism and second spring, switching means operated by said second spring, and means for selectively causing said escapement to permit operation of said second spring.

13. The combination with a mechanism comprising a movable element, of a spring for actuating said movable element, means for controlling the operation of said spring, a second spring for actuating said controlling means, a motor for energizing both of said springs, and connections between said motor and springs for energizing said springs comprising means controlled by the degree of energization of said springs.

14. The combination with a mechanism comprising a movable element, of a spring for actuating said movable element, means for controlling the operation of said spring, a second spring for actuating said controlling means, a motor, and connections between said motor and said springs comprising means for disconnecting one of said springs from said motor when said spring is energized to a predetermined degree.

The combination with a mechanism comprising two actuating springs, of a motor and driving connections between said motor and said springs for energizing said springs to a predetermined degree irrespective of their relative states of de-energization.

16. The combination with a mechanism comprising two actuating springs which deenrrgize at different rates, and a common motor for periodically re-energizing said springs.

17. The combination with a mechanism comprising two actuating springs which deenergize at different rates, of a common motor for re-energizing said springs.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of February, 1919.

HAROLD S. SINES. Vitnesses:

ARTHUR P. SPECHT, HARRY L. S'rnoM. 

